Virgin Galactic Unveils Apeiron, Its First Delta-Class Spaceplane

Virgin Galactic Unveils Apeiron, Its First Delta-Class Spaceplane Virgin Galactic pulled back the curtain on Wednesday on the first vehicle in its next-generation Delta line: a six-seat suborbital spaceplane named Apeiron. The ship left the company's factory in Mesa, Arizona the same day, riding under its Eve mothership on a captive-carry flight to Spaceport America in New Mexico, where months of testing await. The company aims to resume flying paying passengers in the first half of 2027.

A Name Chosen by Thousands Across 83 Countries

Apeiron, pronounced "A'-per-on," comes from the ancient Greek word for "boundless," the company said. Employees submitted 276 name ideas, the company shortlisted four — Apeiron, Horizon, Explorer and Ascend — and thousands of people across 83 countries on six continents voted. Chief executive Michael Colglazier said the name reflects the aspirations of human spaceflight and the possibilities it opens up.

A 90-Minute Piggyback Ride to Its New Home

Apeiron, tail number N401VG, departed Mesa Gateway Airport attached to the underside of the VMS Eve carrier aircraft and arrived at Spaceport America about an hour and a half later. Pilots Michael Masucci and Dan Alix flew Eve, with flight test engineer Tori Crichton aboard. Once on site, Virgin Galactic's engineering team plans to complete avionics software validation before flight tests begin.

Six Seats and a Faster Cadence Than Unity

The Delta class replaces VSS Unity, which flew seven commercial suborbital missions between June 2023 and its final flight on June 8, 2024, carrying some two dozen tourists and researchers. Apeiron seats six private passengers, two more than Unity, and is designed for as many as eight flights per month per vehicle — roughly twice a week — with a lifetime of more than 500 missions. The design upgrades the thermal protection system and streamlines manufacturing and maintenance. Like its predecessor, Apeiron flies above the 100-kilometer Karman line for a few minutes of weightlessness; it cannot reach orbit.

675 Ticket Holders Waiting as Fares Top $850,000

Virgin Galactic reported about 675 people holding reservations, with seats now priced as high as $850,000 — up from around $200,000 when sales opened in 2014. More than 100 future passengers have begun preparations. The company envisions a fleet generating billions in annual revenue. Chad Anderson of Space Capital, a venture firm managing more than $1 billion, said the priority is getting Apeiron through testing and into the air after repeated delays. Virgin Galactic had originally hoped to have two Delta ships in service by 2026; the schedule slipped in August to spring 2027 and now points to early in the second quarter of 2027, with a second Delta vehicle expected in the second or third quarter. More test and financial details are due in November.